Five Reasons Your Kitten Should Not Sleep with You

Most everyone knows the joys of having a loving pet, and a kitten is certainly one of the most lovable. Because they are so cute and cuddly, many people choose to sleep with their kitten. While it seems harmless enough on the surface, it can become a problem in a number of ways. Here are five reasons why you should not let your kitten sleep with you:

Danger to the Kitten

When you are sleeping with your kitten, you assume that they will stay out of the way when you roll over. While nine times out of ten this is no problem, that one time would be horrible. Imagine waking up to discover that you accidentally smothered your kitten in your sleep. Sound incredible? It has happened before and it will happen again.

Sleep Disturbance

Just as ignoring your kitten can end in disaster, some kitten owners go the other way and wake up throughout the night without realizing it. They do this because they want to be sure the kitten is safe, and without meaning to they end up messing up their own sleep cycle. Undisturbed sleep is very important to our health and well being, and this is yet another distraction that can be a problem when your kitten sleeps in your bed.

Jealous Wife or Husband

Eventually, cute or not, that kitten will grow into a cat. When they do, they are going to continue to expect to sleep where they always have. If you set that place as your bed, then that cat is going to be pretty upset when you kick him out. If you get married or otherwise have someone that wishes to sleep by your side, then that will become a problem unless they are huge cat lovers like yourself. There is nothing quite like trying to snuggle with your honey while your kitten or cat is nudging up between you.

Fleas and Assorted Other Potential Critters

Cats are pets but they are also animals. This is especially true if they are outside cats at all. They will pick up mites, fleas and any number of other critters along the way. These will get in your bed and drive you up a wall. Only the cleanest of kittens and cats are fit for my bed, and even they are only allowed up there on occasion. Sleeping in my bed is off limits because I do not want any unexpected visitors.

Hairy Hairy Proposition

If you suffer from asthma, then cat hair in your bed can be a nightmare. Even if you do not, your cat will shed hair. That hair is easily sucked up into your sinuses and breathing tubes, and can cause all kinds of allergic problems. If you let your kitten sleep in your bed, you are begging for respiratory problems of some kind, and will probably eventually get them.

Sources:

"Pets in your bed", Web MD
Personal experience